Hit and Run movie review: GEICO Gecko-approved

Delicious Dax Shepard not only stars in but wrote the screenplay for and co-directs his fiancee Kristen Bell in this cute and clever little indie that puts the pedal to the metal. Hit & Run motors with a V8 engine and no sloths to slow it down!

Living in calm Central California, Charlie Bronson (Dax Shepard) is the sweetest, nicest guy ever! At least that’s what his girlfriend Annie (Kristen Bell) thinks. When Annie gets an opportunity to interview for her dream job in Los Angeles, Charlie is uncharacteristically distressed. Driving at high speeds, he admits to the love of his life that he used to be a bank robber. Uh-oh.

Annie is devastated and completely shocked to learn that Charlie has been living in the Witness Protection Program all this time and lied to her about it. Just driving to L.A. will put Charlie on the radar of the gangster thugs he ratted out to stay out of prison. But his life will be meaningless without Annie. Can she forgive him?

In dreadlocks and goofy red sweat pants, Bradley Cooper plays the main bada** who just got out of jail after nine long months — an internment that included a special relationship with his Filipino cellmate. But one part of the drama Charlie hasn’t revealed is that he kept the money from the bank robbery and hid it. When Bradley Cooper’s character finally comes face-to-face with him, he demands his money, pronto.

A collection of car chases, crashes and dangerous driving, this low-budget, high-octane movie straddles the line of action and comedy. Dax and Kristen have terrific on-screen chemistry and hopefully will make more films together.

Hit & Run also boasts a terrific soundtrack that adds to the thrill ride, as if you’re listening to a great radio DJ during the movie. The only thing that seems amiss is the fender-bender federal agent played by Tom Arnold. Tom Arnold is talented, but with him, less is always more.

Bottom line: This youth-driven, thrill-kill comedy gets a lot of mileage out of car chases and America’s romance with the road. If you’re fans of Dax and Kristen, you’ll really enjoy this movie.